About SCF

Scuola Centrale Formazione has been a non-profit association since 1975, recognized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies as a national training body pursuant to Law 40/87.

The association that operates nationally and internationally in the field of professional training and transition to work with the aim of encouraging the sharing, exchange of experiences and qualifying the operators of its network of associated bodies, proposing experiments and offering services in response to the needs identified by the member bodies.

SCF joining together 48 organisations managing over 100 VET centres distributed in 13 regions in the North, Centre and South of Italy (Piedmont, Lombardy, Liguria, autonomous province of Trento, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia-Romagna, Toscana, Marche, Basilicata, Puglia, Campania and Sicily).

SCF works primarily to offer a representative support and an effective coordinating action to all associates, with a specific interest on methodologies, evaluation, innovation and transfer of best practices.

The Ministry of Labour recognizes SCF as a national training association, according to the Law n.40/87. This implies a national financing decided according to a set of indicators connected to activities realized and number of regions where these activities are done. SCF runs actually as second biggest network of VET providers in Italy.

SCF is also registered to the National Register for Research Institutes (n. H18907U) and to Cliclavoro/Ministry of Labour as national intermediation agency (L736S011661).

SCF is certified by CSQA under UNI EN ISO 9001:2010 standards.

In 2020, annual turnover was up to 4.300.547,00 Euros while its balance sheet accounted for 1.608.183,00 Euros for the activities/services provided.

Declaration sent to the Ministry of Labour highlighted that all SCF’s members realized in 2021 17,727,646 hours of training (that is 2,807 courses/programmes) for 30,826 young and adult learners and 2,226 staff people involved (1,456 are trainers).

Main activities of our associated members concern:

Targeted programmes (including counselling, support, training and activation measures, work-experiences, etc.) for the unemployed and the disadvantaged groups (including migrants, the disabled, ex-prisoners),
Qualification programmes for the workers
Supporting entrepreneurship, through creation of new companies
Tertiary VET programmes in different sectors especially ICTs, mechatronics, reusable energies, agri-food industry;
Vocational training for young people aged 14-17 still in compulsory education (3 and 4 year-long VET programmes), including apprenticeship, in a variety of sectors (tourism and hospitality, beauty services, mechanics and mechatronics, electricity and electronics, agriculture, ICTs, wood, shoes, fashion, graphics design;
Counselling;

All associated members adopt specific learning strategies and methodologies for trainees with learning disabilities or special needs as well as for the disabled.

Many of our members also pay special attention to specific vulnerable target groups such as: non-accompanied minor migrants (more than 500 young people), refugees, (young and adult) prisoners and ex-prisons, etc.

Our history

Scuola Centrale Formazione was founded a few years before the important revival of Vocational Training, following the enactment of Law 845/78 aimed at “fostering the personality of workers” and “promoting employment, production and the ‘evolution of the organization of work in harmony with scientific and technological progress.

1975

On Nov. 6, Scuola Centrale Formazione was established in Rome by its five founding members Msgr. Erasmo Pilla, Luciano Sommadossi, Luigi Grisoni, Fr. Sebastiano Vallauri and Antonio Vidotto. Twelve years later, the organization is recognized by the Ministry of Labor as a National Body funded by Law 40/1987.87.

1999

In April, Scuola Centrale Formazione associates 22 Entities, is present in 6 regions (Veneto, Lombardy, Emilia Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo and Puglia) and operates through more than 50 Professional Training Centers. Since then, the territorial presence has been consolidated and the number of members has increased over time to reach, in 2022, 48 associated Entities located in 13 regions.

2000

SCF launches the first training mobility project abroad "Towards Europe".

2000

On June 6, in response to the increased complexity achieved by the organization, two new institutional bodies are provided for: the National Director and the National Coordination Group, and the maximum number of Board members is increased from 5 to 11.

2010

On May 14, Scuola Centrale Formazione updates its Bylaws. Following a path of research for greater coherence with its mission and organization, in particular through the modification of Article 3, it is specified that: - SCF is present in the territories through its members who express its rootedness; - SCF recognizes itself in the presence, experience, locations and resources of its members, which it may use, in an agreed manner, to fulfill the social purpose; - the inspiring principle of the relationship between SCF and member will be, in any case, that of subsidiarity.

2013

SCF, after a participation in territorial cooperation as an associate partner in the KeyQ project, enters as a beneficiary partner in the "LOVE YOUR HEART" project and begins its activity in the framework of Cross-border Cooperation, which in the following programming will see it as a partner in INTERREG ITALY-SLOVENIA and ITALY-CROATIA projects.

2014

Scuola Centrale Formazione begins Incoming mobility activity by hosting the first group arriving from Spain. Scuola Centrale Formazione becomes accredited for Employment Services at the national level, obtaining from the Ministry of Labor the authorization for intermediation under special regime ex art. 6 Legislative Decree 276/2003 (Biagi Law).

2015

Scuola Centrale Formazione turns 40 and on the occasion of the anniversary the new logo is updated and presented. By virtue of its more than ten years of experience, Scuola Centrale Formazione obtains the Erasmus Charter of VET Mobility of the Erasmus+ 2020 program.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM4a7xzyqf8

2016

The Association expands its target territory with the entry of a new member institution in Trentino Alto Adige. In the same year, Scuola Centrale Formazione receives the Zero Waste Living Award in the Schools category.

2018

Scuola Centrale Formazione receives the 2018 VET Excellence Award from the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Marianne Thyssen, in the category "European Funding for Excellence," thanks to the project "Mo.L.VET 2.0.20: Mobile Learning in VET towards 2020."

2019

The action of Scuola Centrale Formazione extends beyond the borders of Europe with participation as a partner in the first pilot project for mobility for vocational education and training (VET) in Africa funded by the European Community: the SAAM (Supporting Alliance for African Mobility) project, approved in December 2019 for an amount of 4 million euros

2020

After more than two decades as president of Emilio Gandini, Prof. Arduino Salatin was elected as the new president and the new Board of Directors was appointed. SCF awarded Certificate of Excellence and Erasmus+ Accreditation for the period 2021/27

2021

Entry of new associated members: Mater Dei Institute of Naples, Green Foundation of Vimercate (Milan).

Mission

SCF’s mission is to promote the integral development of the person through guidance and training to promote the employability and employment of young people and adults. Scuola Centrale Formazione plays a role of representation, coordination at national level and offers support to the activities of its associated bodies (educational and training institutions present in 13 Regions operating in over 100 locations, involving 30,826 students) inspired by the social doctrine of the Catholic Church.

Vision

SCF’s Vision is to be a reference point for Professional Training in Italy. SCF is a second-level body capable of promoting innovation and development of best practices, international openness, social inclusion, development of members and educational well-being.

Values

The values of SCF have been expressed in principles that guide the association in relations with internal staff, associated members and the addressees of the activities and services offered:

• Centrality of the person

• Social and work inclusion

• Subsidiarity, networking and local roots

• Integral approach to education

• Methodological and technological innovation